Everybody Needs A Sidekick

Some of the recent questions have reminded me of the importance of having a sidekick. This character can be the eager but naive junior, or a member of the pseudo-management team eager to increase his placebo-effect. Either way, working as an Agilista can be pretty lonely if there's nobody to agree with every word you say. Sure, you can make the upper management agree with everything, but that takes effort (saying the right things, yada yada yada) and it's also fairly dull, because upper management are programmed to want everything you are offering. So, it's more satisfying to have a partner-in-arms to help you effect the myriad changes that Agile requires; without one, life could be lonely and the process may take less effort and distract you from preparing for conferences and writing your blog.

Here are some of the archetypical sidekicks that you might have:

• Muttley - incredibly self-satisfied and prone to evil chuckles. Also very dim.
• Scooby doo - frightened of the unknown, but has an insatiable appetite for reward. Feed him plenty and he'll stick by you.
• Scully - you don't need a Scully. They're too skeptical about everything and demand actual proof. Dull, dull, dull.
• Amelie/Sophie - this Audrey Tatou of a side-kick is captivating and bright, but is so easily distracted by the plot and the information that unfolds, that she believes any old rubbish and is totally oblivious of any sort of quality.
• Ben (or Bill) - speaks utter crap all the time which nobody understands, perfect for maintaining the illusion of plenty going on. The fact that nobody understands this character makes them feel frustrated and stupid with less effort on your part.
• KITT - very technical, very capable, but constrained to sit on the sidelines and occasionally get broken into. Excellent to send to conferences.
• Luke Skywalker - young and easily manipulated into trouble. Luke has something to prove, but he's not sure what it is. He learns skills, but cannot control his eagerness nor his destiny.
• Moses - the best sidekick to have. You give him your simplistic ten commandments and he'll lead the entire tribe through the wilderness for forty years.

Choose your sidekick wisely. If possible have a few.